Babi Pongteh, a traditional signature Nonya Braised Pork Stew that is uniquely prepared in each Peranakan family. Cooked preferably using fatty pork belly or pork trotters with mushrooms, fermented soy bean, dark soy sauce, palm sugar, and aromatics, this homecooked dish is slow boiled until the meat turns tender to the bite. It's a typical dish prepared during special occasions and Chinese New Year.
Rinse 1 kg pork trotters , pat dry and cut into smaller chunks, about 2-4cm (if it's not already cut by the butcher). Note: The meat can be washed just before you are about to cook it.
1 kg pork trotters
Soak 6-8 dried Chinese mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Once softened, cut off stem, squeeze out excess water, and set aside. Keep the mushroom soaked water for the stew later.
6-8 dried Chinese mushrooms
Peel and mince 8 shallots and 5 cloves garlic . Use a food processor to blend the shallots and garlic into a paste. Note: You can also use a mortar and pestle to pound into a paste manually.
5 cloves garlic, 8 shallots
Mash 2 tbsp fermented soy bean (taucheo) until it turns into a paste. You can also use a mortar and pestle to pound into a paste manually.
2 tbsp fermented soy bean
Wash 8 tofu puffs, squeeze out excess water and cut into bite-sized chunks. Note: You may not find this in the true blue peranakan recipe of Babi Pongteh but my family loves soaking up the sauce with tofu puffs so I'm adding it in this rendition. It's totally up to you.
8 tofu puffs
Heat 5-6 tbsp cooking oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic paste, and 1 cinnamon stick and fry the mixture until the aroma is released.
5-6 tbsp cooking oil, 1 cinnamon stick
Add the mashed tau cheo (fermented soy bean) and stir fry with the mixture for about a minute.
2 tbsp fermented soy bean
Add 2 tbsp dark soy sauce and 20 g palm sugar and stir fry with the mixture for about 30-45 seconds.
2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 20 g palm sugar
Add the pork pieces and stir fry to coat the meat with the sauce evenly.
1 kg pork trotters
Add the mushrooms and mix well.
6-8 dried Chinese mushrooms
Add 2-3 cups of water (including the mushroom soaked water) and mix the water well with the sauce. Then add the 5 cloves garlic whole, and gradually add more water enough to cover the meat and mushrooms. I added a total of 8 cups water in this recipe. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the meat softened according to your liking.
8 cups water, 5 cloves garlic whole
Add tofu puffs in the last 30 minutes of cooking and let it simmer and completely soaked in the gravy. Feel free to add more water if you want the Babi Pongteh to have more sauce or let the sauce reduced to the thick consistency you want. Add Salt and season according to your taste preference.Note: optional to add 1 cup black fungus or 1 cup bamboo shoots.
8 tofu puffs, Salt, 1 cup bamboo shoots, 1 cup black fungus
Best served the day after. You can leave it at the stove and reheat the next day. Serve hot with rice and sambal chilli. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
This recipe is my rendition of Babi Pongteh which typically has bamboo shoots and pound the aromatic and spices manually. I added mushrooms, tofu puffs, black fungus or you can even add chestnuts. True blue Peranakans, please don't judge me. I used a food processor to grind the aromatics and spices instead of pounding it with a mortar and pestle. Again, the Nonyas love pounding it, my auntie used to pound her chilli and paste and whatnot, every single morning, and I love waking up to that sound. You can also add other spices such as the star anise and the clove.